Malt house

The traditional malt house was largely phased out during the twentieth century in favour of more mechanised production.

[1] The cistern was then drained and the grain transferred to another vessel called a couch, either a permanent construction, or temporarily formed with wooden boards.

Here it was piled 12–16 inches (30–41 cm) deep, and began to generate heat and start to germinate.

[1] It was then spread out on the growing floor, the depth dictated by the temperature, but sufficiently deep to encourage vegetation.

[1][2] The grain was then moved into the kiln, 4–6 inches (10–15 cm), for between two and four days, depending on whether a light or dark malt was required.

A slow fire was used to start, and then gradually raised to suit the purpose of the malt and the desired colour.

[1][2] The Saladin system of mechanical and pneumatic malting was designed for a high performance process.

Many villages had a malt house in the eighteenth century, supplying the needs of local publicans, estates and home brewers.

Malt houses are typically long, low buildings, no more than two storeys high, in a vernacular style.

The germination of barley is hindered by high temperatures, so many malt houses only operated in the winter.

Improved techniques allowed larger breweries and specialist maltsters to build their own maltings and operate year-round.

[3] Towards the end of the nineteenth century, pneumatic malting was introduced, in which the barley is aerated and the temperature carefully controlled, accelerating the germination.

A survey book or ledger had to be kept to record the process and the gauging of the grain in the cistern, the couch, and on the floor.

[1] The volume of the grain was carefully measured, based upon the mean width, length and height, and calculated by mental arithmetic, pen and paper, or slide rule.